y affixing “Café” to “Holt Renfrew,” I had envisioned a High Tea house - surely to be populated by the socialite crowd - but a visit to the sleek eatery set me straight. Not that this spot on upper Mountain doesn’t project a certain haughtiness; the café’s moniker and décor - pushing the boundaries of razor-sharp design with its meticulously straight rows of red bottled spring water and futuristic Plexiglas and steel settings – verifies that you’ll be in good hands.

A well-heeled clientele takes breaks from their shopping (yes, they do serve high-end tea here), but there are also suits of both genders from neighbouring offices and hip-looking passersby who have dropped in for anything from a cappuccino or a glass of wine to a full course meal. Don’t let the warm and friendly façade of the staff fool you though. These are highly trained professionals. Young and enthusiastic, they are focused at every turn; from the nine-step service to the angle of the cutlery, everything is seamless without being stuffy.

Here, the devil is in the details. Starting with the condiment tray presented upon ordering (no regular salt and pepper here) which holds herbs de provinces, sea salt, five pepper grind and Hawaiian red sea salt, you instantly surmise that this is no regular café and you are definitely in for something special. The menu is avante garde and creative, featuring Holt’s signature tartines. These open-faced toasted sandwiches with gourmet toppings feature an “exclusive” touch; they’re made with France-imported bread.

Holt Canada’s executive chef Corbin Tomaszeski discovered Poilane Bread while in Paris and quickly nailed down a deal with its founder’s daughter to have it imported exclusively for Holts Café flown in three times weekly from France. The bread is a healthy no-preservative affair, pre-dating the famed French baguette, and still baked in the old fashioned way, you can even taste a hint of the wood smoke (oak) from the ovens. Its production began in the 16th century, and today, the only automated part of the process is the kneading.

As far as the toppings go, the menu changes four times a year to take advantage of seasonal ingredients. For example, where else can you find a Lobster BLT (lobster, bacon, mesclun mix, tomato and lemon aioli) or an open faced chicken “sandwich” with red peppers, Arugula, truffle honey and chevre? There is a brunch tartine and a separate breakfast menu. Freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juice combos - like the beet, apple, ginger mix – also rotate seasonally. The dessert menu features, for those who haven’t had enough bread, Poilane bread pudding.